Creative Writing Course Syllabus

Creative Writing
Mrs. Baker: mbaker@branford.k12.ct.us
Class Blog: bhscreativewriting.blogspot.com

“The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say.”
-Anais Nin

Welcome to Creative Writing! In this course you will have the opportunity to work in a variety of genres. You will work alone, in pairs, and in writing groups. By the end of the year, you will have created a body of work that illustrates your effort and growth. I look forward to learning and writing with you.

Course Expectations:
• You will explore and develop your ideas and technique both in and outside of class.
• You will write in a variety of genres and forms: free form and highly structured, fiction and non-fiction,
• We will keep journals/ Writer’s Notebooks, write short informal pieces, and create collections and extended pieces of revised, polished writing.
• Additionally, you will write (almost) daily journal entries. You may write them on notebook paper or in a notebook you reserve specifically for that purpose.
• No gratuitous obscenity, sex, violence, drugs, or drinking in your writing. There are times when inclusion may be appropriate, but if you have any doubts, talk to me before your writing goes to peer readers or is submitted as a final draft.

Sample Units:

• Personal Essay/Memoir
• Short Stories
• Vignettes
• Children’s Book
• Graphic Novel
• Playwrighting
• Scriptwriting
• Poetry
• Songwriting
• Elements of Fiction
• Poetic Devices



Weekly Submissions/ Blog Posts:
Each Friday will be “Publish or Perish Day.” You are required to post something that you have been working on throughout the week. You are to also offer commentary to two classmates.

Reading:
I will often assign reading. One of the keys to strong writing is in depth reading. Our reading grows out of each writing unit.

Writer’s Workshop: As part of this course, you will be required to share your writing in small groups where you give and get meaningful feedback that you can use to revise.

Plagiarism:
For the sake of your learning and my ability to grade you accurately, your work must be entirely your own. Do not cheat. Cheating includes copying someone’s homework, giving your work to someone, having someone write some or all of an assignment, paraphrasing or quoting directly from someone else’s work (books, magazines, the internet, whatever....) without citing it, and using a study aid without permission on an in class assignment. Please review the consequences of cheating in the Student Handbook.

Expectations
• Kindness and respect towards fellow students, yourself and your teacher.
• Put your mind and heart on paper. Write sincerely and honestly.
• Take responsibility for your learning.
• No messy or noisy food; water is fine. If you leave garbage behind, food privileges will be rescinded.
• *A special note on electronic devices: Although we occasionally use computers in class, you do not need any other electronic devices in this class. All cell phones and iPods and should be switched off before you enter the classroom. It is expected when using the classroom laptops that you access the Internet only when it is related to the assignment. Please be sure to tilt laptop screens during the time that I give the daily assignment and directions. I often allow people to use iPods while they work, but students must wait until I give the go-ahead.

Attendance:
• Your “on-time” presence allows class to run smoothly. Late arrivals disrupt class and your participation grade will reflect them.
• It is your responsibility to find out what work you have missed during an excused absence. You have two days per missed excused day to submit missed work.
• Take bathroom breaks if and when you need them, but if they become regular and/or long, I reserve the right to disallow you from taking breaks. In other words, don’t wander off during class.

Getting Published:
As part of this course, you are required to submit work to be published. I encourage you to submit to Calliope, the school literary magazine and to Teen Ink. I will post current writing contests on the class blog. You may also elect to self-publish your work at the end of the course. One site to try is: lulu.com

Grades:
50% writing assignments, writing projects, reading assignments, homework, revision
25% Participation, preparation, attendance
25% Final portfolio/ scrapbook/ self-published book/ personal blog

Materials:
Please bring your organized three-ring binder, paper, journal and writing tools with you each day.

Note: Either check a usage and style manual out of the library or purchase one. Steven Spielberg recommends The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. It costs approximately $6.50.